Summer is a great time for rest and relaxation, but it is also important for students to participate in programs that help them gain experience and skills that prepare them for the future. For some students, summer break offered the chance to explore opportunities that focused on leadership and community impact. “I went to Florida and did a program called Jack and Jill, which is an organization that promotes the betterment of young black children in America,” Sophomore Morgan Lee said. “All kinds of people talked to us, from Olympic track runners to medical personnel, and they taught us about leadership skills and ways to help our community.” 

While some people used the summer time to learn essential skills that will help them better themselves and the community, others used it to explore career paths. “I shadowed at urgent care, and they let me help with papers and take people’s weight and height, but I got to see a lot of really cool stuff,” Senior Khushii Gosain said. “I feel like having this experience really helped me decide that I want to go into medicine one day, which is a decision that I might have not made if I had not shadowed.” Educators say opportunities like these can open doors for students as they consider future career paths. “Summer programs help a lot with exploring career paths,” Assistant Head of School and Learning Facilitator Hollie Marjanovic said. “For example, people do the Saints Summer Experience or Operation Shoesting, which is a good way to see if working for kids is for you.” 

It is often times hard to come back to school in August when students have not been in a classroom for ten weeks, so participating in summer learning experiences is even helpful when coming back to school.“When students have a break over a number of weeks with no structured learning, skills in writing or math, or soft skills like executive functions can slide backwards,” Marjanovic said.  “If students can take advantage of formal education settings, the slide will not be as dramatic.”